Small Business Saturday, Nov 24th: Featuring Creative By Nature

If you haven't heard already, November 24th, this coming Saturday has been slated as Small Business Saturday.  Which means get out and visit your local favorite mom and pop store that enriches your life and would be so missed if it wasn't there. And no....I do not mean TARGET, ugh!!

My first thought when I heard about this, was to pay a visit to one of my favorite decor shops in the South Charlotte area, Creative By Nature. They are located in the Blakeney Shopping Center at the corner of Rea Road and Ardrey Kell.  http://www.cbnhome.com/

I absolutely love looking in this shop for unique items like hurricanes and frames, and for staples, like Vance Kitira candles, Dash and Albert rugs (I bought one this year and don't know how I lived without it!!!) and great smelling fillers, like their signature rose hips.

Dash and Albert cotton woven rugs are great for the front door/mudroom or the kitchen. Easy to clean, very durable. 

The pear shaped candles are so lovely from Vance Kitira and they are also affordable. When they burn, the top burns inward so you have a beautiful shape and it lasts a long time.

These are the rose hips, there are several different scents, I love these lime ones, they smell so good! (not edible but I wish they were!!!)

 In addition they always are well stocked with beautiful seasonal decorations. They also specialize in dried and preserved floral arrangements (gorgeous and only high end quality) and will even fill an existing container you bring in from home.

What's great is that they are so reasonably priced for their merchandise. The mark up in some areas of Charlotte is ridiculous, but for the quality of the merchandise, you can't beat this company. The staff is always helpful and nice, I love that. It makes it more enjoyable to shop longer when you know the people there are sincerely sweet and never pushy.



Today when I walked in they were busy getting all the holiday decorations up for Christmas. Although I must say I personally am not ready for the holidays, they certainly are, and have tons of merchandise, all beautiful and displayed so well. It smelled so good, lots of different holiday fillers which can really change the look of your accessories from one holiday to another.

They have this baby pine cone filler that would look great in a glass hurricane.

I adore all of the mercury ornaments and votives. They look so good mixed together, like you've had a collection for years. This type of finish also mixes well with other finishes, which is why I also love using them.

These sparkly nests are perfect for the tree or would be great on a table setting as well.

The robin's egg blue glass and pewter ornaments are STUNNING!!!

They really have a wonderful array of different types of ornaments. There are beautiful Christmas trees in gold, silver, rustic wood and bronzed colors that I thought were really nice.

These stockings are gorgeous in person.

 I am not a wreath person, but the wreaths they have are very tasteful, simple greenery with a few pine cones and I LOVE the natural cotton ones!

In addition to ornaments and fillers, there are plenty of decorative elements such as moose, Santas and reindeer. I especially thought these neutral colored angels were unique and would look great in a casual tone on tone house.

Maybe the only thing I didn't see are any Hanukkah decorations...but then again, I didn't ask, and I could have missed them.

If you are in the market for a gift for a friend or family member, or want to add a few items to your holiday decor, do not hesitate...get in your car on Saturday and head to Creative by Nature, have lunch @ Zoe's Kitchen and top it off by sending your kids to the outdoor playground with the spouse as you peruse the cute clothes at Bevello right around the corner. But if you only have time for one pit stop, head to Creative By Nature, you'll be glad you did. Like them on facebook too.

http://www.facebook.com/CreativebyNatureHOME

Thanksgiving in the Hills

I just finished reading the latest publication of Lonny Magazine. Have you ever read it??? If not, you must stop now and subscribe. It's one of the best online shelter magazines for interior design. I wait anxiously for the next addition to come out. The editor in chief is Michelle Adams, formerly from Domino Magazine, who's successful venture is as inspiring as the magazine itself.

This month, they featured a home in the Hollywood Hills, which is in Los Angeles, California....my hometown hub for design. I love how interior designer, Mark D. Sikes created beautiful rooms mixing traditional and contemporary pieces and artwork. I am a sucker for a house that mixes textures like rattans and Asian antiquities with contemporary furniture.

The dining room was set for thanksgiving and it shows how simple and easy one can create an elegant setting for this holiday. Just a beautiful white pumpkin on china!!!Done!

 How gorgeous is this kitchen layout!? Every kitchen should have a living space in it to sit and hang out.
I love the built-in book shelves around the windows and the sofa under the window.

I don't know about anyone else, but I spend most of my day in the kitchen. I love to cook, putter around, it's where I also do most of my "crafty" stuff, work on the computer and as a family we have all of our meals in the kitchen, so a layout like this makes so much sense...and it's stunning. I love how they mixed director style bamboo chairs with a simple contemporary table like the Saarinen table above.

 The rest of the design just continues to keep me inspired. It feels like they thought of every detail without over working the space. I tend to avoid the light blue shades when I design, but I love how this master below turned out. It's got a wonderful layout and seems super comfortable but elegant as well.

The chocolate walls in the guest room below, with the creamy white contrast of the furnishings and trim work is wonderful too.

You would think with the super white walls that the rooms would feel cold, but look at how warm this picture above is! The rattan and mix of animal textures along with the tortoiseshell and porcelain china, is so inviting. Let me get my book and blankey!

The cherry on top is the spectacular exterior landscaping. This is what I think of when I dream about the Hollywood Hills.

Love the dresser on the left...yum! And the wrought iron work on the right is fabulous too!

From the window in the guest room, the greenery in the background and that black and white awning can take you anywhere dreamy, but when you look at the vanilla colored stucco and the terracotta steps....oohs and aahs!

Give me a warm breeze and I've been transported back to outdoor living in L.A. I'm giving thanks to Lonny Magazine this year.  Check out the rest of the magazine as well, it's a low calorie holiday treat. www.lonnymag.com

Warm and Cozy Under Foot!

I have found my next rug purchase! I love this rug from Feizy Rugs.
http://www.feizy.com/UI/Product.aspx?sv=0&intCategoryTypeNo2=30&intCollectionNo=709

 As the days turn colder and we enter into the next season, warm and cozy comes to mind. Yesterday I took a day trip to High Point with a colleague (shout out to the fabulous Dickey Choate, http://upscaleurbandesign.com/ ) to visit some rug showrooms, on the search for some beautiful hand knotted, silk and viscose blended rugs. Two showrooms that we visited were Safavieh and Fiezy Rugs. Both had some really beautiful things. 

Are you in the market for a gorgeous new rug?There are so many great products from these two companies. Check out some of the fabulous things that we found there:

Gorgeous brown tones and accents in charcoal from Feizy Rugs,
Kashgar, brown/multi
http://www.feizy.com/UI/Product.aspx?sv=0&intCategoryTypeNo2=30&intCollectionNo=707

Another beautiful contemporary rug from Fiezy, so great in person, it has a silky sheen and a  rich pewter and chocolate color palette.  Dim Sum, Chocolate/Steel
http://www.feizy.com/UI/Product.aspx?sv=0&intCategoryTypeNo2=43&intCollectionNo=668

If you are looking for subtle, luxurious and traditional or transitional, this rug is absolutely stunning!!
Feizy Rugs, Ouray, smoke/ivory
http://www.feizy.com/UI/Product.aspx?sv=0&intCategoryTypeNo2=30&intCollectionNo=711

This contemporary graphic is another great design from Fiezy, very current for today's living spaces. Fiezy Rugs, Noor, light/blue-gray

http://www.feizy.com/UI/Product.aspx?sv=0&intCategoryTypeNo2=30&intCollectionNo=731

At Safavieh we spotted this beauty from David Easton's collection. Every colorway in this design was fabulous.
http://safavieh.com/rugs/david-easton/traditional/knotted/dve473f-paro-grid

Another stunner from Suzanne Kasler's collection at Safavieh, which by far, was the prettiest that we saw yesterday. The pictures do not do it justice.
http://safavieh.com/rugs/suzanne-kasler/traditional/knotted/szk271c-jaguar

I love Thom Filicia, he has a wonderful way of playing up the tailored aesthetic in an interior. This fun zig-zag would be a great addition to a casual space.
http://safavieh.com/rugs/thom-filicia/contemporary/hand-tufted/griffith-park-tmf906b

I can't seem to get enough of this cane detail. I know it takes the right kind of client and the right kind of setting but I just love it, and in the showroom, it looked great. This one is from the collection by Jamie Drake.
http://safavieh.com/rugs/jamie-drake/contemporary/knotted/jdk321b

I love this geometric tone on tone rug. It gives dimension and texture, but the subtle color keeps it simple.
Deco Garden

Another designer from the Safavieh line is Martha Stewart, whose is famously  always using the faux bois detail, I love it too. It has a wonderful texture with the silk sheen throughout, which shows as flat above. It really is quite beautiful in person.
http://safavieh.com/rugs/martha-stewart/contemporary/knotted/msr5843c-faux-bois

Next stop, some fabulous accessory finds....stay tuned!

Green With Envy

(four leaf clover chair by designer Ron Arad)

Well, it's St. Paddy's Day, and though I don't really celebrate it, I thought it would be fun to showcase all the beautiful green things popping up this spring in design (my colleague Rebecca inspired me to write this post, as we were both drawn to the cover of House Beautiful this month, the theme being green).

Green is on the horizon like never before, and yet it's been here all around us forever.  The bright color green is sometimes hard for a client to embrace. One would think that we would be used to it, considering the minute you walk out your door, it's everywhere....the trees, bushes, grass, elements of architecture, traffic signals, street signs. An old design friend, Tanya Piper had an interesting way of looking at the color green. She used to say you can mix multiple shades and hues of green without fear of it clashing or not matching because it emulates real nature. When you look outside at all the greenery, no one ever notices how many different kinds of "verde" there is. She was so right.

The easiest way to add color is a little fabric. Here are a few samples of green textures and patterns I like to use.

Jamie Drake's Babe's Tweed, in Granny Smith for Schumacher,  love the mix of greens, so versatile and textural for upholstery.

This screams St. Patrick's Day! Studio Bon's Ellen in color Stem.

I love this herringbone stripe from Kelly Wearstler, one of my favorite designers.

This is a new print from Kelly for Groundworks. I love how dimensional it is. Mineral  Juniper, Lake.

This is an indoor/outdoor fabric from Trina Turk for Schumacher! I love all the mixed mini prints in this chevron pattern. The mix of greens with the black and white is fresh and fun. 

Such a whimsical fabric from Studio Bon called  Wired, in Lime.

This is a fun geometric pattern from Thom Filicia I think can be used in many applications

I love Madeline Weinrib fabrics!!! This zig-zag and ikat both work well in eclectic homes.

My favorite new fabric is this frenetic stripe by Travers. I think I would be happy with a whole sofa covered in this!!!

Zimmer Rhode, Andalucia Velvet, #40086,  color 756

Wallpaper is a great alternative to adding paint. Although paint is easier, it is hard to achieve texture and depth. I love Designers Guild wallpaper and fabric. The quality of their products is fantastic.

I love this snakeskin print!

Not a floral person, but this is fun mixed with the white furniture. I love that color chartreuse.

Grass cloth wallpaper in a shade of green can make a bigger statement than just painting. It gives an element of texture and can act as a neutral backdrop or add punch.

I love this interior by Pat Healing. Combining earth tones and crisp white to the color palette, the green grass cloth walls become a natural backdrop.

I love a green kitchen done right. There are a million concept photos to post, but I'll just share two recently published that I think really says "I'm green and proud of it!!"

This kitchen by Carey Maloney of MGroup, is really interesting. I love the intense color green for the cabinets below, and the gorgeous tile back splash, which was even installed on the backs inside the upper cabinets. How clever.

This kitchen was done by Meg Braff. I love the mahogany counter tops that offset the saturated green, plus the wall paper gives another element of texture. I also like the whiteness of the ceiling, it gives relief. (I do have to be honest and say...I would have left out the rugs)

 How about a showcase of some of the great home furnishings available this spring in green.....

Jonathan Adler's Zebra Rug in Green

Crate and Barrel's Ming Side Chair is wonderful in the rich "Irish" green.

I love this chartreuse colored sofa from Anthropologie

The design of the Arper Leaf chaise from ABC Home is fantastic. 

How pretty is this beautiful colored glass Calais chandelier from Z Gallerie?

How inventive...an all glass light fixture with a green cord, from CB2

How beautiful would these Emerald Green Crystal  knobs from Top Knobs be on a dresser?

A few Moroccan poufs in this lime green from Furbish would do the trick!

This tray is on One Kings Lane from Hayes right now! Love the trellis pattern.

Chop! Chop! How cute is this Cuisinart Mini Prep in  a clover green!

Kate Spade's Gardner Street Green Dinnerware is perfect for spring.

A parsons bed customized by Room and Board. They have a whole line of home furnishings that come in this color.

Another accessory from Room and Board, the Nebula Bowl. Perfect for any cocktail table.

This is a gorgeous hand painted shade from Anthropologie. It would cheer up any room!

How about a veggie burger off this Weber grill in green, available at Sur La Table.

Restoration Hardware has come out with  their new outdoor pillows from Perennials and are showcasing a beautiful chartreuse and grey scheme. 

   

The Loll swing from Designs Withing Reach comes in Leaf (shown) and British Green among other colors.

For the finale...more favorite interior concept photos that showcase how fabulous green can be!

 

Anthony Baratta and Williiam Diamond designed this interior. Very intense color, definitely not for everyone.

Martyn Lawrence Bullard designed this media room for the Windsor Smith showhouse. I love the kelly green pop of he chair and table.

Look it how amazing just a splash of green in a piece of artwork looks?

What a great retreat in the Hamptons by designer Todd Hase.

I love this mix of traditional architectural elements, contemporary  furnishings and the intense  saturation of color on the walls and drapery. This interior is designed by Julies Hayes.

This interior was on the cover of House Beautiful this month. I love these  domed chairs with the minty green velvet, and the sculptural headboard against that gorgeous wallpaper.  Interior design by Fawn Galli.

Ahhhhh...these two pictures are of the Viceroy in Santa Monica, designed by no other than my hero, Kelly Wearstler. I am so privileged to have gotten to see this hotel in person.  This was so cutting edge when it opened. 

The turquoise green walls in this interior featured in Architectural Digest acts as a neutral background behind all of the colorful artwork and furnishings. Who'da think orange drapes against this snappy green wall with a burgundy sofa and  every other color in the rainbow would work....it does though. 

This hallway by Steven Scarloff is papered in the same banana leaf wallpaper  from the famous Beverly Hills Hotel.  No way would I live in this....but I still think it's cool. 

I love little girls rooms' don't you! So pretty with all the different shades and patterns.

This Anthropologie bed with draping would be fit for any princess.

Fawn Galli again with this great contemporary girls' room. Awesome faux brick wallpaper,  and I love the green zebra drapes.  

Hope you find your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow today!!